AuthorTopic: Alan Civil (horn on For No One) (Read 9186 times)

Alan Civil was a classical horn-player (the best in London, said Geoff Emmerick).We wouldn't know about him if he hadn't playedon that McCartney composition. He died in 1989., and I would like to take some interesting factsfrom his life:

It would be unrealistic to gloss over the fact that Alan Civil enjoyed a drink. Apart from the Savage Club in which he felt he could truly relax, he could match anyone's knowledge of pubs and landlords.

If he discovered what he called 'a real pub' - with good beer, no canned music and no gambling machines - he would delight in sharing it. He cared about food and wine and the prospect of a concert tour abroad could either fill him with joy or despondency, depending on the time available to spend in good restaurants.

He played under the greatest conductors and yet had an encyclopaedic knowledge of radio dance-bands and comedy shows. His humour was acerbic, yet he could quote from memory an act of Max Miller's seen in a music hall a couple of decades previously.

It was sometimes difficult to reconcile the eminent international horn-player with the jolly chap playing the piano, leading chorus singing. He was that rare person who enjoyed listening as well as talking. Alan was the retailer and subject of numerous Savage anecdotes, such as the time he arrived fresh from an Underground station where a busker had been playing the French horn accompanied by one of Civil's own recordings. Once on a train bound for Leeds he sat opposite a young girl who was wearing headphones from which hissed a sound unacceptable for a long journey. When asked to turn the volume down she refused, adding that it was a free country. Alan proceeded to take his horn from its case and to play Mozart loudly. The girl then left the carriage to the applause of the other occupants.

Thanks for sharing that beautiful recording, Barry -- and for bumping the thread. Always nice to learn something new! My son plays the French horn; he loves the horn part in "For No One" (as well as The Who's "I'm a Boy").

Thanks for sharing that beautiful recording, Barry -- and for bumping the thread. Always nice to learn something new! My son plays the French horn; he loves the horn part in "For No One" (as well as The Who's "I'm a Boy").

You're welcome, Kathleen.

Just listening to the backing tracks enhances what Alan Civil did with his French horn...

It must be bizarre to meet one of these guys. Imagine the conversation at the bar.....

'Yes, back at the Proms, this year. Do you ever get to the Proms yourself?''No, not really, I'm more of a 50s/60s pop music fan if I'm honest.''Oh, do you know that song.....erm.....by that Liverpool group.'The Beatles?''That's them.''Which one?''Erm, 'Penny.....Penny.....Penny.....''Penny Lane'. What about it?''Oh well, I played French Horn on that.'

It's somehow more fascinating hearing about this contribution than if it had been someone well known in pop music, like a famous session musician such as Nicky Hopkins or Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix.

You could argue that that trumpet (not French Horn!) on 'Penny Lane' is the more famous single sound on a Beatles recording.....which could make it the most famous single sound in the history of recorded music.

Wow.And I bet (a) that he only got Musician Union rates, and (b) that he didn't know he'd done it until someone like Mark Lewisohn told him he had!

When I first heard For No One and Penny Lane, I was immediately struck by the horn solos. I wonder how much Mr. Civil and Mr. Mason contributed to their composition. Mr. Mason, I think, is being deferential to Paul when he says "And eventually, of course, we got to what he liked and this is what he wrote."

It's somehow more fascinating hearing about this contribution than if it had been someone well known in pop music, like a famous session musician such as Nicky Hopkins or Jimmy Page or Jimi Hendrix.

You could argue that that trumpet (not French Horn!) on 'Penny Lane' is the more famous single sound on a Beatles recording.....which could make it the most famous single sound in the history of recorded music.

Wow.And I bet (a) that he only got Musician Union rates, and (b) that he didn't know he'd done it until someone like Mark Lewisohn told him he had!